The invention relates generally to communication systems, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of alerting users of a communication system of an emergency.
Emergency warning systems are routinely deployed in buildings or various other types of premises to warn occupants of a potential danger. For example, fire alarm systems are typically deployed to alert the building occupants about the possibility of fire within the building. These emergency warning systems, when operating effectively, may save lives, or at least significantly reduce the probability of the building occupants encountering serious injury.
The effectiveness of these emergency systems, however, depends largely upon whether the warning message transmitted by the system is successfully received by the message recipient. The warning message may fail to reach its intended recipient for a variety of reasons. The emergency system, for example, may fail to deliver the warning message to a portion of a building because of mechanical or electrical faults. Accordingly, it is conceivable that occupants on one floor of the building may receive the warning message, while those on another floor may remain uninformed of the impending danger because of technical glitches, either in the building""s wiring or with the emergency system itself.
Warning messages may also fail to reach the intended recipient if the building occupants are not in a suitable location to hear or see the warning message. That is, participants gathered in a large conference room, for example, may not be apprised of the warning message because of loud conversations or other distractions.
A need thus exists for an improved method and apparatus for delivering warning messages to those inside buildings or other structures.
In general, according to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving an alert signal, identifying a plurality of users of a telephony exchange system, and informing the identified plurality of users in response to receiving the alert signal.
Some embodiments may have one or more of the following advantages. An independent (and perhaps a backup) emergency warning system may be deployed within a premises without the added expense of having to wire the entire premises or purchase an expensive backup emergency system. An efficient and effective method and telephony exchange system of notifying occupants of a building or premises of a possible emergency is provided. For example, occupants resident in a loud, crowded conference room or other public rooms may be efficiently and effectively informed of a possible emergency, even if the conventional emergency alarms are not audible in such areas. Accordingly, lives may be saved, or at least the probability of occupants encountering serious injury at the premises may be reduced.